My Little Spitfire
by FenyxNyteRyder
Summary: A mysterious girl with no name appears in 11 year old Deidara's life, instantly becoming friends with him. One day she suddenly disappears, only to reappear seven years later while he is on a mission. What will happen when she has to give up her current life and join the Akatsuki?
1. Prologue

_**My Little Spitfire**_

**Prologue**

A kunai slashes my cheek. The ninja throws me back against a tree.

"Tell me where it is!" he yells, punching me in the stomach.

I refuse to cry out with the pain I feel.

He punches me again and again with each word he says. "Tell me where it is, you freak! I swear that I'll kill you if you don't!"

I claw him across the face, trying to make a run for it. The ninja grabs my tail, making me hit the ground. He puts his foot against my throat, making it near impossible for me to breathe.

"Tell me where the Jinchūriki is!"

I flatten my ears against my head, hissing and clawing the ninja's leg. He holds a kunai against my throat as I thrash under the pressure of his foot.

"Listen here, kitty girl. I have neither the time nor the patience for your rebelliousness. Tell me where the Jinchūriki is!" he yells, pressing harder against my throat and stepping on my tail, breaking it..

I squirm, gasping for the air that I can't breathe. Black spots dance across my vision, and my hearing dulls. Suddenly, an explosion occurs next to the ninja's head, blowing it off in the blast and splattering blood all over my already torn and bloody body. I shove the foot off of my throat, scurrying away from the body, breathing with heavy pants, and shaking from head to toe. I curl into a ball on the ground and close my eyes, too tired and weak to move.

A light tap on my arm startles me, but I only have the strength enough to crack open my eyes and glance at a mass of yellow hair that's crouching next to me before I close my eyes, letting out a sigh.

The person breathes out a sigh as well, murmuring, "Good. You aren't dead, un." I feel my body being lifted, but I'm too weak to fight. "You sure are a little spitfire, aren't you, un?" A door opens and shuts as the boy sighs. He carries me into a separate room, laying me on what I presume is a bed or futon. "Tsuchikage-sensei, un!" he yells. "I need your help!"

I hear the shuffling of feet and the rustling of cloth as a person enters the room, smelling of clay.

"What now, Dei-…Who is this?" a rough, deep voice asks.

"I don't know, un. She was being beat up by a really big, scary ninja. And he was about to kill her, un, but I used the explosion jutsu that you taught me with the clay to kill him, un," the boy called Dei says.

The man grunts, coming closer to the bed. My tail twitches as I feel my chakra levels surge, making me leap out of the bed onto the opposite side of the floor as the two ninja. Blood drips on the floor from the multiple gashes I received from the rogue ninja.

My ears flatten against my head as I stare at the older ninja. He stares at me intently, making my tail swish over the floor. A growl rises from deep in my throat. My gaze switches to the boy. The sight of him shocks me. He has long, straight yellow hair and bright blue eyes. He appears to be only a year or two older than me, making him twelve at the most. He's incredibly thin and about four and a half feet in height. The boy is wearing a black shirt and pants with a gray belt and a ninja headband. Blood covers his arms and hands. His eyes are wide, but not with fear. The emotions I see confuse me.

Suddenly, hands press rapidly on the pressure points along my neck and spine. I lose consciousness.


	2. Chapter 1: Stranger Things Have Happened

**Chapter 1: Stranger Things Have Happened**

**~Normal POV~**

I feel like I'm floating, enveloped in warmth. Clouds surround me, forming dragons and big cats and wolves. I stretch, curling up on the back of one of the dragons. The dragon begins shaking, dodging lightning. I squeeze my eyes closed as thunder rumbles.

The shaking continues until I hear a voice. "Miss, un? Can you please let go of my arm, un?"

My eyes shoot open as I stare into the bright blue eyes of the boy from earlier. I try to leap out of the bed, but my foot catches on the blanket. I begin to fall. As I close my eyes, my fall is stopped short by something warm.

"You should be more careful, un," the boy says, holding me, his cheeks tinged pink. Our noses are nearly touching. "M-My name is Deidara, by the way, un. What's yours?" Deidara asks, setting me on the bed next to him.

I blush, noticing he isn't wearing a shirt. His hair is loose and falls over his shoulders, covering something on his chest. I shake my head. "My father never gave me one."

Deidara tilts his head to the side. "What about your mother?"

"I never had one."

A sympathetic look crosses his face. "Who's your father?"

I stare at him. "I don't know. He was murdered. I never knew him."

Shock fills his eyes. "Did someone raise you?"

I hesitate before answering. "Rochi-sensei did."

"R-Rochi?" He looks confused. "Who's that?" Yep. Definitely confused.

"Rochi-sensei was my teacher. He practically adopted me, but then he mysteriously left and never came back for me. I waited for over a year for him to return, but he never did. So I left to look for him."

"What's he look like?" a gruff voice says by the door.

My ears flatten on top of my head. "He has black hair, pale skin, and likes snakes."

The man's eyes widen. "Deidara, come with me for a minute." I can hear the fear in his voice.

**~Deidara POV~**

"Deidara, come with me for a minute," the Third Tsuchikage calls to me.

I glance at the girl. Her purple eyes are locked on mine. They reveal no emotion. Her hair is black and shoulder-length, the bangs covering part of her left eye. Her cat ears and tail are black like her hair. The white shirt and black pants that the Tsuchikage put on her are a bit large, making her appear much smaller than she actually is; she's only a few inches shorter than me. Even as she is now, she looks really cute…and vulnerable.

"Deidara!" the Tsuchikage yells.

I flinch, blushing. "Sorry, un," I mumble. I see a small smirk on the girl's face, adding to my blush. I hurry out of the room, following my sensei. He closes the door behind me.

"Do you realize who that girl is associated with? Orochimaru!" he quietly exclaims.

My eyes widen. "The nin that defected from Konoha?"

The Tsuchikage nods his head. "I'm afraid so. And this leaves us with only one course of action: we must kill her."

I feel my stomach clench in dread. "But she's just a kid. She probably doesn't even realize who he was, or what he's done. You can't just kill her because of something she didn't do, un!" My hands are shaking.

Tsuchikage-sensei lets out a breath. "You have the same temperament and sense of justice as your father." He sighs and ruffles my hair, making me blush. "So what would you propose we do with her, then?

"Can't she just live here, un? I can help teach her and help her train, and…" I trail off as I see a knowing look in Tsuchikage-sensei's eyes. I feel heat rise to my cheeks, as I shuffle from foot to foot.

"You like the girl and want to protect her." A smirk plays at the corners of his mouth. "So you finally found a girl you like, Dei-kun. We should celebrate." He rough claps his hand on my shoulder, making me grimace.

"That's not necessary, un," I stammer, attempting to back away from the nin.

His grin grows as he guides me back to my room, where the girl is staying. "You're going to be spending the rest of the day and the night in the room with her until morning." He opens the door and pushes me inside the room. Waving, he says, "I'll bring dinner when it's time. So…enjoy yourself…for now." He closes the door, and I hear the lock sound.

I sigh in defeat. "That bastard…"

Hearing a chuckle, I look up into the girl's violet eyes, which are shimmering. Her hand is by her mouth, a little blush dusting her cheeks. She looks away, her blush deepening and her gaze dropping to the floor.

Clearing my throat, I ask, "What may I call you, un?"

My question appears to startle the girl. She looks up, her eyes wide. She looks down again, her shoulders shaking. Softly, ever so softly, she whispers, "The people that captured me after I went to look for Rochi-sensei used to call me something."

I sit next to her on the bed. Reaching out my hand, I attempt to comfort her, but as my hand touches her, she flinches away. Letting my hand fall, I murmur, "What did they call you, un?"

There is pause before she finally speaks two words. "Neko Oni." When she looks into my eyes, there is fear and anger in her violet eyes.

I clench my hands into fists before taking a deep breath to calm myself. "Hmmm." I stare at her as she blushes. "No, I can't call you that, un. You need a name, though." I frown as she rubs her arm. She brings her hand to her mouth, stifling a yawn, her eyelids drooping. I move to the head of the bed, resting my back against the wall. Motioning to the girl, I pat my lap. Her eyes widen then narrow. Rolling my eyes, I murmur, "You can rest your head on my lap, if you would like."

Looking down at her hands, she stifles another yawn. Slowly, she crawls over to me, hesitantly meeting my eyes. I grin at her reassuringly as she hesitantly places her head on my lap and curls into a ball. I gently place my hand in her soft hair, causing her to stiffen. She soon relaxes into the touch as I scratch behind her ear, a light purr echoing from her throat. Nuzzling against my leg, her breathing slows and deepens until she is asleep.

I sigh despondently. What could have happened to her? More importantly, who hurt her and why did that man nearly kill her? I watch the girl's sleeping form. She seems so vulnerable and…fragile. She has a strong soul, though, that hasn't been broken. My eyes begin to close as I continue to pet her hair. A name flashes through my mind, as sleep claims me. Kasumi.

**~Normal POV~**

Something warm and heavy presses against my side. A hand is tangled in my hair. I feel an arm pressed against my back. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I turn my head toward the window, noticing that it was dusk. Glancing at my side, I realize that it is Deidara's head that is resting against my side. He is curled around me protectively. His eyes are closed, and his hair is disheveled. A small giggle escapes my mouth at the sight. He begins to stir at the sound. Deidara blinks lazily as he sits up, stretching. I arch my back to stretch. He looks into my eyes and smiles, and I find myself beginning to smile back.

"Did you have a nice nap, you two?" The voice makes both Deidara and I jump, blushes forming on our faces.

"Tsuchikage-sensei, un. H-How long have you been sitting there?" Deidara stutters.

The Tsuchikage shrugs. "Just a half hour."

Deidara buries his head in his hands, embarrassed.

"Have you decided on a name?"

Deidara shrugs. "I'm still thinking."

"I see…" The Tsuchikage fixes his stare on me.

It's my turn to blush as I bow my head.

He turns his stare back to Deidara. "Dinner is ready." The Tsuchikage turns, opening the door and leaving.

Deidara sighs, rubbing the back of his neck as I pull my knees to my chest, wrapping my tail around my ankles and burying my head in my arms. My body starts shaking. That man… He scares me. A hand on my shoulder makes me jump, my ears flattening against my head. My lips draw back in a snarl as I stare into the wide blue eyes of the yellow-haired boy.

"Shhh. It's alright," he murmurs, moving closer to me. His fingers brush across my cheek, coming away wet. I hadn't even realized I had been crying. Deidara suddenly wraps his arms around me. The warmth and tenderness of the embrace makes my tears continue to flow, unrestrained, as I bury my head into his chest. "It'll all be fine, un. Just don't cry anymore. Be happy; smile, un," he keeps murmuring over and over again, stroking my hair.

As my breathing calms, I glance up at him. "Arigatou, nii-san," I murmur, kissing his cheek. A small smile spreads across my face.

"N-No problem, un." His cheeks are crimson. "Let's go eat." Standing up, he extends his hand.

As I'm about to accept the outstretched hand, I notice something weird on the palm. Taking a hold on his wrist, I pull his hand toward me, poking the line on the flesh. The flesh by the line begins to part, exposing the inside of a mouth, complete with teeth and a tongue. The tongue licks the tip of my finger, leaving a small trail of saliva as it returns to the mouth on the hand.

"I-I…sorry, un. I can't really control them." He looks down at where my hand encircles his wrist.

I look up at the young boy, puzzled. 'This is a very strange human,' I think, giggling.

The blonde looks me in the eyes, confusion evident. "Are you okay, un?"

I nod my head. "Yeah. Stranger things have happened before." He smiles as I place my hand in his. "Let's eat, un," I mimic Deidara.

Dei blushes a little, pulling me through the door and down the hall to the dining area. I sit next to him, my tail brushing his leg, a smile on my face. The Tsuchikage is sitting across from us. "It's about time," he mumbles.

"Itadakimasu," we murmur.

I pick up the chopsticks, eating the smoked fish that is on my plate.

"Sensei?" Deidara says.

"What is it, Dei-kun?" the Tsuchikage asks.

There is a slight pause. "Can she train with me so that she can become a ninja, un?"

Both the Tsuchikage and I stare at the blond.

I break the silence first. "Me? Become a ninja? The other kids at the school would laugh at me because of what I am." My chopsticks fall from my hand as I bury my face in my hands. "I'd end up hurting someone since I can't control my chakra real well. I don't want anybody to get hurt, but it seems like that's all I do. I don't mean to; it just…happens."

A heavy, calloused hand lands on my shoulder. "Then why not prove them wrong? Even if they laugh at you, you will always have people who care about you and will fight on your side. Am I right, Deidara?" He nudges Dei in the ribs.

"Yeah, un." Deidara grins. "No one messes with my imouto."

I return the smile.

"So… You will begin your training with Deidara-kun tomorrow. He will teach you what you need to know to pass the genin test, along with a couple of other helpful jutsus. Then you can take the test at the school and become an official nin of Iwagakure!" the Tsuchikage exclaims, raising his fist.

"I-Iwagakure!?" My eyes widen. "I'm in Iwagakure!?"

Deidara gestures at his ninja headband with the engraving of the village on it. "Yeah, un. What's wrong?"

I shake my head. "Nothing." Smiling at him, I continue, "I've been trying to get here for the last couple months, but my sense of direction got screwed up by some idiot's genjutsu." I grimace, rubbing my neck, remembering the painful experience. "But I'm here now, and that's what matters."

"Good. Now that we've all agreed," the Third Tsuchikage says, "let's finish eating."

"Hai," Deidara and I say in unison. Glancing at each other, we begin laughing. I watch as Deidara steals part of the Tsuchikage's fish, running across the house with it.

"Hey! Give that back, you twerp! I'm an old man and need that food!"

I watch as the Tsuchikage pretends to chase after Deidara. A pang of longing spreads across my chest. As much as they treat me like family, I won't truly belong here. I should at least enjoy my stay before _they_ come to take me back.

"Hey!" Deidara puts his arm around my shoulder. "Don't look so down, un! Smile!"

Against my will, I find myself smiling at the boy before me.

"There you go, un." He himself smiles. "You look much prettier when you smile, un." I blush at his comment. "You better eat up, though. It's going to be a tough day of training tomorrow."

I nod, nuzzling against his arm. "Hai, nii-san!"

He blushes a little, bringing me into a hug. I hear him mumble under his breath, "Arigatou, Kasumi-chan."

Kasumi… My new name.

And so, my new life began.


	3. Chapter 2: The Journey Begins

**Sorry it took so long for the update. I've had a hectic time with school and trying to apply for college scholarships and everything else. I'm also currently going back and forth between about four different fanfictions I've started. But I finally finished the second chapter for this one, so I hope you enjoy it. ^_^**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Naruto or any of the characters associated with it, but I do own all of my original characters.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: The Journey Begins<strong>

**~Deidara POV~**

I awaken just before dawn, slipping out of the bed that I'm sharing with my new "imouto." She's sleeping peacefully, her silky black hair disheveled. Her ears twitch from exhaustion. She's still worn out from the past week of training. Her control is lacking and I've almost been blown up a few times…a lot of times, actually. She keeps saying that teaching her is a lost cause and that I should just give up, but I can't bear to see her pained expression every time that she mentions it. I rub my bruised arms. But…if she can't learn to control her chakra more, I'm scared that she won't be able to pass the genin exam next week.

I sigh discontentedly before slipping silently out of the room and heading to my art room. Bags of clay line one of the walls. Figures of birds, dragons, and insects are placed on the shelves on the adjacent walls. On the table in the middle of the room is the beginning of a sculpture of a cat that I've been trying to create for Kasumi. It isn't coming out the way that I've hoped that it would… I've re-done the damn thing at least twenty times, but each time it feels like something is missing.

Pulling out a handful of clay from one of the bags, I attempt to re-sculpt the head of the cat and the collar. After an hour or two, I finish the cat…again. "No. No. NO!" I slam my fist down on the creation, destroying it. "It's still not right, un…" I mumble. I lean my head against my hand, only to have the tongue lick my cheek. "Sheesh, un." I glare at my hand. What a nuisance. I wad the clay back up and stuff it into a bag by the wall. Noticing that the sun is finally up, I head to my room to wake up Kasumi.

"Hey, Kasumi-chan, un. Wake-" As I open the door, I stop in my tracks. Kasumi is missing. "Oi! Kasumi, un!" I march around the room, looking in the closet and the adjacent bathroom and even under the bed. "Wherever you are, come out right now, un! This isn't funny!"

There is no reply.

"Shit, un!" Running out the door, I crash into Tsuchikage-sensei, who looks frazzled at my appearance.

"Dei-kun? What's wrong?" his voice rumbles.

"K-Kasumi is…gone…un…" My vision begins to blur, and I have to force myself not to let the tears spill over.

"Have you tried scanning for her chakra?" he asks.

"No, un…" Truthfully, I was too focused on the fact that Kasumi disappeared than being logical.

He chuckles as he walks away. "Good luck!" Sensei calls behind him.

Heading outside, I scan for a trace of Kasumi's chakra and find that she's surprisingly close by. I sense a swell in the concentration of her chakra before it becomes restricted again and is followed by another swell and then another. At each chakra swell, I feel the earth shake. I dash to the clearing that she is in before stopping right at the outer rim of trees that surround the clearing. What I see amazes me.

**~Kasumi's POV~**

My body is physically exhausted after the week of intense and painful drills that Dei-kun forced me to do, even though I keep failing at them. I told him that he should just give up on me, but he won't listen to a word that I say, though I'm kind of grateful that he doesn't listen to me. I can't even open my eyes even though my mind is awake. I feel Deidara slip from the bed and leave the room. He's probably going to go practice making clay sculptures. My ears twitch at the thought, my eyes now opening. I've never seen him work on any of his sculptures, even though I know that he does.

I silently slip from the bed and follow his scent to the room. Through the crack in the door, I can see his form arched over the table, working diligently on the sculpture that he's re-done multiple times. Maybe I just need the same conviction that Deidara has in order to control my chakra well enough. I nod to myself, slipping away from the door and heading back to my shared room and change into a dark purple shirt, black pants, and a gray belt.

I sneak out the door of the house, gently closing it. The sky is just beginning to lighten. I walk to the open field that Deidara and I had used on the first day of practice. Sitting down in the middle of the field, I place my palms against the earth, feeling its essence. I allow my chakra and the earth's essence to mix and become one before I separate them. In my mind, I visualize the sets of hand seals that Deidara had taught me for each of the jutsus that I would have to learn.

The first one that I practice is the Shadow Clone Technique. I close my eyes, focusing on the hand seals in my head. My hands follow the movements in my mind. Opening my eyes, there are a thousand mirror images of myself surrounding me. I frown; there should only be one clone. I plop down on the ground, the clones dissolving.

"You need to work on your concentration," the voice of the Tsuchikage says. He steps out from the trees.

I flatten my ears against my head. "I try to, but it doesn't work." My tail swishes across the grass.

"Have you tried meditation?" he asks, sitting across from me.

"Yes, but to no avail."

"Hmmm." He stares at me with piercing eyes. "Perhaps it would help if you are physically active…. The meditation and hand seals are most likely not working due to the immense reserves of chakra that you contain…" Holding out his hand to me, he says, "Stand up."

I take his hand, standing up, my ears twitching.

"Now. Have you heard of Tai Chi?" the Tsuchikage asks.

I shake my head.

"It is similar to meditating, but the body moves and is able to channel and control chakra more easily. Follow my lead. Relax your body and mind. Let your body move with the rhythm of your soul and the jutsu you wish to release…as if you were dancing…." His voice fades.

I close my eyes and picture the hand seals in my mind. My body begins to move through a series of steps and movements that correspond with each seal, subconsciously. I don't even know where the knowledge came from, but my body responds to the series of hand seals that my mind plays. I can see and feel the chakra within me being channeled out of my body and taking on a new form. Opening my eyes, there is one single perfect Shadow Clone standing in front of me.

"Arigatou, Tsuchikage-sensei!" I exclaim, turning around, only to find that he is already gone.

Shrugging, I sit down, the clone mimicking me. A new set of hand seals that I've never seen before flood my mind, causing my concentration on the shadow clone to dissipate. It isn't one of the patterns that Deidara had taught me. Standing up, I close my eyes and concentrate on the hand seals and allowing my body to subconsciously move to the pattern. Suddenly the words "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Summoning no Jutsu" flash in my mind.

Opening my eyes, a large shape emerges from the ground, making the earth shake. It plunges back in before coming out of the ground again. It is a mixture of earth tones and looks at me with large golden eyes that match the golden mane and tuft on the end of its tail. The horns on its head are ivory-colored, and so are the long teeth inside its mouth. Holding my hand out, it nuzzles against my hand, warm air blowing in my face from its nostrils.

The sound of a twig snapping catches my attention. The earth dragon fuses with the ground, disappearing from sight. I'm left slightly light-headed as I fall to my knees. Deidara runs out from the trees to where I am crouched on the ground.

"Onii-sama? W-What are you doing here?" I ask as Deidara pulls me into a hug.

His shoulders are shaking as he says, "Baka, un. I thought you left forever. Don't scare me like that ever again, un." Tears fall on to my shoulder. Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, he says, "But it looks like you finally learned how to control your chakra, un. That means you'll be able to pass the Iwa genin exam in about a week." Deidara smiles at me, his bright blue eyes gleaming, taking my breath away with their beauty. "You'll get to be an official ninja, un!"

I blush. "Yeah. Then we'll get to go on missions together as a team. Me and my nii-san." I smile at him, purring.

His cheeks are a light pink as he lies back in the grass. "Yeah, un. Just you and me," he murmurs.

I lie down next to him in the grass, watching the clouds pass by overhead.

"Hey, Kasumi-chan?"

"Hmmm?"

"What would you do if we were the only people left in the world, un?"

I blink. "What type of question is that? I'd stay with you, of course. Forever and ever. Un."

"But…what would happen if you found somebody that you…fell in love with?"

"But I love you, nii-san."

He sighs. "I love you too, Kasumi, un."

My ears perk up as he scratches the top of my head, making me purr.

"Hey, un. Let's have a race to the top of the tallest tree. On three, okay?"

I nod. "Hai."

"Okay. One. Two." Deidara's already dashing off toward the tree.

"HEY! WHAT ABOUT THREE!?" I yell, chasing after him.

I can hear his laughter and I can't help but to join in with my own as we race across the field and through the forest.

* * *

><p>"Now don't be nervous, un. Just do how you do in your practices," Deidara instructs, as he waits with me in the Iwa Ninja Academy.<p>

My tail twitches because of the other potential genin present. Most of them are looking at me with funny expressions on their faces. It's like when I was introduced yesterday.

I scoot closer to Deidara, bringing my knees to my chest. So far, about half of the class has completed the genin exams, and they are talking amongst each other about how easy it was.

A lump rises in my throat. I know that I've practiced a lot, and I've managed to maintain better control of my chakra, but still… What if I mess up and hurt people again? My shoulders begin shaking at the thought.

"Nee, Kasumi-chan?" Deidara says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What?"

He sighs, motioning to a tall girl with long, light blue hair in front of us. A gentle smile is on her face. "It's your turn for the exams."

My heart leaps into my throat as the girl takes me by the hand and leads me to the next room. When we enter, she says, "The Tsuchikage has told us about you and your…unique style." She leaves me in the center of the room, going to sit next to two older males, one with blond hair, the other with black hair.

"Please show us what you can do," the male with black hair says.

I swallow, bowing. Taking a deep breath, I remember all of my practices with Deidara. Focusing my chakra to the tips of my fingers, I draw the symbols for each of the hand signs in the air while visualizing the flow of chakra in the dance steps. A perfect shadow clone appears next to me, but…it looks like Deidara instead of me. Shocked looks pass over the three ninjas' faces.

I gasp, bowing. "Gomen! I thought that I could do it…but…."

I hear clapping instead of the disapproval I had feared. Looking up, I see that they are standing up. "To be able to make a shadow clone that isn't of yourself…that is highly advanced and impressive, especially for one so young," the blue-haired woman says.

"Show us another jutsu that you know," the black-haired man adds, the blond nodding his agreement.

"But I…" The hand seals for the earth dragon summoning passes through my mind. I nod. "You may need to move back in case something goes wrong… I don't want anyone to get hurt…"

Hesitantly, the three shinobi heed my advice, walking to the back wall of the room. Once they are safe against the back wall, I plant my feet, visualizing the hand seals in my mind and allowing my body to flow with the rhythm of the seals. It's almost like dancing, really. As I lift my hand for the end of the movement for the last hand seal, I sense the movement under the earth as the Earth Release: Earth Dragon Summoning no Jutsu is completed. The splintering and rumbling of the floorboards fills the room as the same earth dragon from before rises from the earth, twirling and circling around me. It nudges the back of my head, snorting before it returns to the earth through the same hole.

Deidara throws the door to the room open, wrapping his arms around me protectively. "Kasumi-chan! Are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere, un?"

"I'm fine, Deidara-niisan."

"It sounded and felt like the earth was splitting apart, un." He notices the hole in the floor. "Oh. You summoned the dragon again, un?"

I nod. "They wanted me to show them another jutsu after I made the shadow clone."

"I see."

The three jounin walk forward, the female holding an Iwagakure ninja headband. They bow. "It is an honor to have the Heir as an official ninja of Iwagakure," the woman says, offering the headband to me.

I take it from her, having tying it around my forehead. "What do you mean by 'heir'?" I ask.

The older ninjas look at me, surprised. The blond is the first to react, shaking his head. "It's not important right now."

I shrug it off, taking Deidara's hand and leading him out of the room. He glances back at the three older shinobi when we reach the door. The Tsuchikage is outside, waiting to greet us.

"Tsuchikage-sensei! Look!" I point to my ninja headband that is securely fastened around my forehead.

He smiles a warm, tender smile that contrasts to his gruff appearance. "Good job, Kasumi. I told you that you would do fine. You're new teammates and team leader are over there. How about you go meet them?"

I nod excitedly. I'm finally an official ninja. Now I can help Deidara even more and go on missions with him. I hurry over to my group, anxious to meet everyone.

**~Deidara's POV~**

I watch as she rushes excitedly over to where her group is waiting, a twinge of jealousy in my heart.

"What's wrong, Dei-kun?" Tsuchikage-sensei asks.

"It's about what Rena-sama said, un. She called Kasumi 'the Heir.' What does that mean, un?" I ask.

The Tsuchikage sighs. "It refers to an old prophecy about a half-human girl that would be born whom possesses the power of dragons. Essentially, if she allies with the side of good, then she will save the world from being consumed by war. If she allies with evil, then the whole world will fall into darkness and chaos." He pauses. "I believe that this is the reason why Orochimaru had her family killed at such a young age and kidnapped her. It was so that he could harness her power for himself or force her to conform to evil." Sensei walks away, going around to the other groups of new genin.

It feels almost like I am being watched. Turning around, I think that I catch a dark figure retreat around the corner. However, when I reach the spot that I thought it was, I can't find anything. There is a sinking feeling in my gut that I can't ignore.

Kasumi bounces up to me, her ears and tail twitching with excitement like a kitten's would. "Hey, Deidara-niisan. Everybody is going out for ramen. You wanna come with us?" Her black hair is slightly ruffled due to the placement of the headband. Taking the headband off, I readjust it, making her hair straighter. "Eh? Oh. Arigatou, nii-san!" Her normally purple eyes flash gold for a couple of seconds, making me blink in surprise.

"You're welcome, Kitten."

"So do you want to go get ramen with us?"

I'm about to reject the offer since I want to find whomever had been watching me earlier, but then Kasumi starts pouting and making puppy…er, kitten eyes at me. Cursing under my breath, I relent to Kasumi's will. She smiles up at me, knowing that she has me. Taking my hand, she pulls me along with her to where her group is waiting. I look over my shoulder one more time, hoping to catch a glance of whomever was spying on us. If anything happens to Kasumi, I swear on my life that I will do whatever it takes to protect her and get her back.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed this chapter. ^_^ Please reviewfollow.**


	4. Chapter 3: A Turn for the Worse

**A/N:** Hello all of my lovely readers. I just want to apologize for the late update. I had a lot going on with school and health issues, etc. But since it's summer, I finally have the free time allowed for writing for fun. ^_^ *hands you a cookie* I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also, at about halfway through and at a part near the end, the story is a little bloody/graphic. Just thought I would forewarn, so don't say that I didn't tell you so -3- Anyway, like always, please review/favorite/follow. Enjoy~!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: A Turn for the Worse<strong>

**~Deidara POV~**

I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Kasumi's fitful sleep. Her face was flushed, sweat causing her hair to mat together. Sighing, I place a damp rag on her forehead. She's had a bad fever the last couple of days, and we're supposed to be leaving on a mission in a couple of hours. I stroke her hair. She's going to be turning ten years old in a couple of days too. It's hard to believe that it has been over six months since she's become a ninja, and nearly a year since we first met.

A frown crosses my face as Kasumi begins coughing. As much as I don't want to, I'll have to leave for the mission without her. My fist clenches as I remember the shadowy figure that I had spotted on the day of Kasumi's genin exam. I've spotted it several other times during the course of the past months, but I can never catch a glimpse of who the actual person is. It worries me to no end.

"Onii-tan?" I hear Kasumi whisper, her voice cracked.

"Hai, Kasumi-chan, un," I murmur, blushing at the childish pronunciation.

"Gomen nasai. I wish that I hadn't gotten sick so that I would be able to go on my first mission with onii-tan. I've really been looking forward to it for a long time…" She pauses as she begins coughing again.

I hold her hand in mine as she gets her breath back, her eyes drooping.

"When…" Kasumi yawns. "When onii-tan gets back from the mission, we'll have a big party, because onii-tan will have caught the bad guys, and onii-tan will be a hero…" Another yawn escapes her mouth as her eyes close. Very softly, she whispers, "Onii-tan is my hero."

I sigh, stroking the hair behind her ears. "And we'll have a party because it'll be your birthday, too, un," I murmur, placing a kiss to her cheek. A small purr rumbles in her throat. Chuckling, I stand up, picking up my bag of supplies. "I have to leave now, un, but Tsuchikage-sensei will be here so if you need anything, just ask him for it, okay? And don't worry. If anything happens to you while I'm gone, I promise that I'll do anything and everything in my power to get you back."

"Hai," she murmurs, squeezing my hand.

"I'll be back in a couple of days, un. Try not to cause too much trouble without me, un," I say, smirking slightly. Despite my light words, worry weighs heavy in my heart as I walk out of the room and out of the house to where my team's sensei and the other members, apart from Kasumi, are waiting.

One of the guys lightly punches my shoulder as I walk up to the group. "She'll be okay, dude. So you ready to kick some rogue shinobi butt?" he laughs.

I laugh along half-heartedly. "Yeah," I mutter. As we set out, I can't help but to glance back at Kasumi's bedroom window, smiling a little when I see her hand raised as she waves good-bye. Raising my own, I continue walking with my group, trying to shrug off the deep sense of foreboding rising in the pit of my stomach.

**~Unknown POV~**

I continue to watch from the shadows of the forest, suppressing my chakra levels to remain unnoticed from the small group of ninja waiting outside of the house where my target lies. The blond boy, known as Deidara, exits the house and joins the group. The linger around the house for several more minutes. As they begin to leave, the blond turns around, waving towards the house. I can just make out a dark shape in one of the windows, waving back. I smirk. Target located. Now we just have to wait for the brats to leave so that we can lure the Tsuchikage out of the house long enough to reclaim the female. It's been a grueling six months of spying and tailing the female and her companion, and it is all about to pay off.

After several more minutes, one of the scouts returns to where I am concealed. "The team is out of the vicinity, sir," she murmurs, lazily saluting.

"Good," I respond. "Now we just have to wait for Phase 2 to begin."

A few moments of silence ensue before several loud chain explosions occur in the distance, in the direction of Iwagakure. A smirk plasters itself across my face as I watch a group of Iwa ninja knock urgently on the door of the house. The Tsuchikage answers the door. My group and I watch as he hurriedly leaves with three of the four ninjas after a few moments inside. The other one remains in the house, most likely in order to remain watch over the Tsuchikage's charge.

I turn to the female ninja beside me. "It looks like you'll get to have your fun after all."

She gives me a lazy smirk before heading off toward the house. As she enters, I send out a quick telepathic message. "My lord, the target has almost been acquired. All is progressing smoothly."

"Excellent. You shall be rewarded for your loyalty when you return with the girl."

"Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord. You're as gracious as ever," I respond, ending the conversation as my companion motions for me to enter the house.

**~Kasumi POV~**

I raise my hand to wave to Deidara out the window as he walks away with the rest of our team. He turns around and returns the wave before following the others off into the forest. I sigh, slumping back down onto the bed and sipping at the cup of tea that Deidara left on the table along with a plate of dango. Once finished, I wrap the blanket tightly around my body, trying to suppress the chills and aches in my body, which stop as my body begins to sweat profusely as a result of the fever. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed, stumbling a bit as I walk over to Deidara's dresser. Slipping my shirt off, I take out one of Deidara's t-shirts and pull it over my head, breathing in his scent on the shirt before curling back up in bed. Yeah, the shirt's too big, hanging loosely off my shoulders and stopping at mid-thigh, but the smell helps comfort me since Deidara will be away for a couple of days. I yawn as the little clay cat that Deidara made me curls up on the pillow next to me.

I don't know how long I was asleep, but I'm awoken by several loud explosions. Grabbing my clay kitten and ninja headband, I stagger out of my room and down the hall, peeking around the corner as a group of four Iwa shinobi with cat masks speak hurriedly with the Tsuchikage. They seem distressed. My ears lift as I try to hear what they are saying. The ninjas become quite as they notice me standing behind the corner.

Clearing my throat, I whisper, "Tsuchikage-sensei? What's happening?"

"Iwagakure is under attack," he says sternly.

My eyes widen as I grip my headband tighter. "B-But who? How? What about Deidara-niisan and the group?" My ears flatten against my head in fear.

"We don't know who it is, but it appears as though they've been plotting this for a long time. They seem to have infiltrated the whole ninja structure over the last several months at the very least; they planted a series of explosive triggers throughout the village in order to create a chain reaction in an attempt to destroy the village," the main ANBU member says, a white and red cat mask covering her face. She turns to me. "Your friends should be okay, given they don't go near the fighting and stay on their mission until the fighting calms down."

I nod nervously, fear spiking through my heart. "_Please stay away from the fighting, Deidara. I don't want you to get hurt. Stay away. For me_," I silently pray.

"Kasumi." I look up at the Tsuchikage. He places one of his hands on my shoulder. "I need to go to the village and help with matters there. I need you to stay here with Anazaki," he says, motioning to the female ANBU with the white and red cat mask, "to make sure that you stay safe, especially when you're ill. Since you know that Deidara would try to kill me if anything happened to you," he chuckles. His face turns serious. "We must be going now," the Tsuchikage says, glancing at the other three members.

"Stay safe, Sensei," I murmur. "Minna."

They nod as they rush out the door, heading in the direction of the village. Awkward silence ensues as Anazaki and I are left alone, until I start coughing and sneezing again.

"Go in the kitchen and get something to drink." She pauses, tilting her head to one side in a very cat-like manner. "It would be best if you stayed hidden in there. We're about to have an unfriendly visitor."

I nod, hurrying off into the kitchen as Anazaki draws a katana from a shoulder sheath and drops into a defensive position. I quickly grab a glass and fill it with water, drinking it before hiding in one of the secret hidden passageways that leads from the kitchen to the room at the entrance where Anazaki is. Pressing up against the panel and looking through the crack, I notice a black-haired woman standing in front of Anazaki. She has a ninja headband with a music note on it wrapped around her right thigh. The design looks familiar, but I can't seem to place it.

All of a sudden, the black-haired woman partially morphs into a spider, eight spider-like legs extending from her torso as a large spider is summoned to attack Anazaki. She's able to dodge the first couple of attacks until the black-haired woman uses some sort of jutsu to cover the floor around her with spider webs. I watch in horror as Anazaki attempts to avoid the attacks of the woman while being visibly slowed by a genjutsu, but when she's about to dodge another attack, the spider knocks her over onto the webbed floor, pinning her against the ground.

"It's been a long time, Anazaki. I knew I would find you again eventually. It's high time that I repaid you for destroying all of my clan apart from myself…and my son." The black-haired woman smirks. "It seems you've gotten rash and cocky with your new position as an ANBU member." The summoned spider leans closer to Anazaki.

A small gasp escapes from my throat, causing the spider and the spider-lady to glance over at where I'm hidden. I quickly cover my mouth with my hands.

"KASUMI! GET OUT OF HERE!" Anazaki yells, struggling against the binds of the web.

"Kasumi," the woman purrs, rolling my name around on her tongue as though savoring the taste of it. "So that's what the blond brat decided to name her. My lord will be pleased with that name."

"_My lord? Wasn't that the title that…? Oh, no."_ Eyes wide, I start backing up in the small passageway, shaking. _"I don't want to go back to him,"_ I think, unconsciously letting out a whimper in fear.

I hear the woman chuckle in amusement. "Finish her off," she orders the spider.

Cowering against the wall, I stare in horror as the large spider lunges down, burying its fangs into Anazaki's abdomen and ripping it open, sending blood splatters across the room. I grimace as the smell of blood assaults my nose. I try to hurry out of the passage, back to the kitchen. Slipping out of the passage, I creep along the island in the center, hoping to stay concealed as I attempt to reach the hallway that leads to my room. Hearing the sound of footsteps, I make a break for the hall, but I end up colliding with a pair of legs, sending me sprawling across the floor and dropping my Iwa headband and clay kitten.

Looking up, I see the black-haired woman standing above me, a lazy smirk on her face. "You thought that it would be that easy to get away? Foolish child. Don't you know that your 'father' wants you to return?"

I shake my head as I back away, the kitten following after me. Standing up, I continue to back away, heading toward the hallway that leads to Deidara's art room. As I'm about to turn and run, I notice my ninja headband laying near the woman's foot, making me hesitate. I don't want to leave without it.

She notices my hesitation, looking down near her foot. Still smirking, she lifts her foot and places her heel on top of the headband. My eyes widen at her actions. "If you come with me without a fight, I won't crush your _precious_ little headband."

I silently shake my head. "The headband isn't worth the loss of my freedom…again."

Scowling, she places more pressure under her heel until the headband shatters. Tears threaten to overflow my eyes. I throw a fireball jutsu at her as I dash down the hall to the art room, locking the door behind me. My body is shaking, and the shirt I'm wearing is drenched in sweat. I clutch my head as a wave of dizziness passes through me, starting another coughing fit. Looking around the room, a sinking feeling fills my chest: there's no way out. I could try to hide in the fireplace, but that would be too obvious and the scary lady would be able to find me.

Looking towards the wall, I notice the bags of explosive clay. I hurry over, taking a handful. I mix my chakra with it and add it to the clay kitten, causing my chakra and Deidara's chakra to mix.

Footsteps echo outside in the hallway, causing bile to rise in my throat at the mere thought of the woman. "Kasumi," she calls, walking closer to the door. "Come out, come out." The door rattles on its hinges. "Now, that's not nice, Kasumi. You don't want Lord Orochimaru to become angry, do you?"

I flatten my ears against my head, my tail swishing angrily in the air behind me. Taking the clay creature that's in my hand, I place it against the wall that connects to outside. Placing a protective barrier around myself, I form a series of hand seals before yelling one final word. "Katsu!"

I hear the woman yell a stream of curses as the wall explodes, in turn causing the bags of explosive clay lining the other walls to combust as well. The force of the explosion knocks me off my feet, causing me to be blown out of the house through the opening. I land awkwardly in the grass, scratches covering my body from the debris and the force of the explosion. I let out another cough as smoke rises from the burning portion of the building.

I manage to shakily stand up before running in the direction of where Deidara's team had disappeared to earlier. Stumbling over a tree root, I fall to my knees, my dizziness returning. The sound of a tree branch cracking causes my ears and head to raise, looking in the direction the sound came from. A teenage boy with ash-grey hair and onyx eyes wearing a pair of black-rimmed circular glasses stands in front of me. At least six other ninjas stand behind him.

I swallow with fear, shivers running down my spine as he steps forward, kneeling down to cup my chin with one of his hands and forcing me to stand up. I slap his hand away, narrowing my eyes at him only to stumble forward into his arms.

"Tsk. Look at you, barely able to stand in your condition like this," he murmurs, tightening his hold as I begin coughing again, blushing at his proximity. "You didn't really think you'd get away, did you, Kasumi?" he whispers in my ear.

My ears flatten against my head as I weakly struggle to escape his grasp before collapsing into his arms once again.

"That's a good girl," he says, petting my hair before picking me up, holding me against his chest bridal-style.

"Deidara," I whisper, spotting the familiar blond head as I glance sadly back through the trees at the burning house that I had called home for the past year, before my eyes slide close, enveloping my mind with dark, fever-twisted dreams.

**~Deidara POV~**

"Sensei, un. It feels like we've been going in circles for hours," I complain.

"Oh, come on, Dei!" Tsubasa, one of my "friends," exclaims. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"No. I believe Deidara may be right," Sensei murmurs. "We somehow got trapped in a genjutsu."

I smirk at Tsubasa. "Told you, un."

He sticks his tongue out at me, making me roll my eyes.

"Shut up, both of you," Sensei mutters. He takes out five kunai, hurling them in various directions. A grunt comes from up in one of the trees, a body falling out of it and landing on the ground with a thud. A kunai is impaled through his chest right above the heart. The landscape shimmers as it returns to how its supposed to look.

Several loud explosions are heard in the distance, coming from the direction of the village.

"Shit," Sensei mutters, grabbing his kunai, wiping the blood off on his pant leg. "Come on. The mission can wait a bit longer," he says as we begin running back towards the village.

I feel a weird tugging sensation, almost like my chakra is being altered. Another chakra feels like it's mixing with mine; a familiar chakra at that. That's when I remember the little clay kitten that I left with Kasumi. Dread pools in my stomach.

"C-Can we stop by the house and check on Kasumi, un?" I ask hesitantly.

"We don't have time-" Tsubasa starts before Sensei cuts him off.

"I think it would be safer if we did that. The Tsuchikage may still be there, and he could explain the situation. Even if he isn't there, we could stay at the house until he does return." He stares at Tsubasa. "It's better than rushing blindly into a situation and risking annihilation."

Tsubasa sulks, playing with one of his kunai. He's muttering something under his breath about how Sensei never takes his side, but I drown out the noise as the weird feeling in my chest suddenly dissipates. However, the relief I feel doesn't last long as a large explosion sounds from the direction of the house.

"Damn it, un!" I exclaim, running as fast as I can towards the house, ignoring the calls from Tsubasa and our sensei.

Upon reaching the clearing, I stop dead in my tracks. Part of the house is in burning ruins. The front door is busted open. Debris is scattered around the perimeter of the house. As beautiful as the dancing flames look, my concern for Kasumi overrides all of my artistic notions. Sensei has already run into the house, Tsubasa running after him after he gives me a light punch on the shoulder, spurring me on toward the house.

As we enter the house, Tsubasa runs outside, promptly vomiting up any substance that was in his stomach. I cover my mouth and nose with my hand, trying not to copy my companion. On the floor lays a large, shriveled, burnt-up spider carcass. Lying next to said object is one of the members of the Iwagakure ANBU unit; her abdomen is torn open, her bowels strewn and laying outside her body, blood everywhere. Sensei is kneeling beside her head, having removed her mask and is speaking to her.

"What happened here, Anazaki?" he asks.

"Iwa was attacked. My group came and told Tsuchikage. The others left with him but I stayed. Had to watch after the girl. Then a member of the spider clan we mostly eliminated arrived. She attacked me with her summon and then went after Kasumi. Toward the kitchen." She pauses gasping for breath. "Don't know where either are now. There was an explosion. Don't know where either are. Or if either are alive. Need to find her." The red-headed ANBU woman pauses, coughing up a large amount of blood. "I'm sorry. I failed. To protect her."

Sensei strokes her hair, whispering soothing words until Anazaki's breathing slows. Then it stops altogether, her eyes glassing over and losing the glow associated with life. Sensei places his hand over her eyes, moving it downwards and closing the eyes of his friend… Of his lover.

"Come," he mutters, heading toward the kitchen. I follow behind him, Tsubasa reluctantly trailing behind us as well.

The smoke is heavier here, but it is easy to see the burn marks on the wall along with the singed tips of large spider legs laying on the floor. However, a dark blue piece of fabric near them catches my attention. Kneeling down, I rub the fabric between my fingers. Metal fragments are scattered next to it. "Kasumi's forehead protector," I mumble, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes as I grasp the fabric in my hand. Looking up, I notice that Sensei has already left the room, heading towards the epicenter of the fire, putting it out along the way. Scorch marks are visible where the flames once lapped at the wooden structure. I follow the path, already knowing where it will lead me: to my art room.

Only a few stray flames linger along the hall, the others already having been extinguished. Sensei kneels next to a black-haired woman that is badly burnt; spider legs protrude from her chest and abdomen.

"Tell me what happened," mutters Sensei, a kunai pressed against the woman's throat. "Where's the girl?"

A wry laugh escapes her throat. "You won't find her. I came here trying to take her back to her true home, but she refused, saying something about her freedom was more important. Ran and locked herself in that room. When I tried opening the door, she proceeded to blow the room up. No way she could have survived the impact of the explosion from in there, considering I'm barely alive as it is now." She chuckles to herself, as if her words are an inside joke.

"Where's Kasumi, un?" I growl.

She scowls at me. "Don't you get it, you blond brat. She's dead. Blew herself up. She's dust and ashes by now. Burnt to a crisp. Unrecognizable." She begins laughing manically, continuing until Sensei severs her head with his kunai.

"I don't believe her, un," I mutter, pushing past Sensei and searching the burnt remains of my former art room. Nothing. I storm out, going to my bedroom, feeling like it's the day that Kasumi first summoned that earth dragon. I search around the room desperately, stopping to notice that my favorite shirt is missing from my dresser, replaced with the one Kasumi had been wearing earlier that day. Nothing else is out of place. I hurry out of the room, tears on the brink of spilling. I head out of the house, barely taking notice of the two carcasses near the front entrance in the house. My feet carry me to the little secluded field where I had watched Kasumi perform the summoning dance to summon the earth dragon. Stopping at the edge, I almost expect to see her dancing there. I walk to the middle of the field, turning in a circle. All at once, my emotions overpower my senses, and I fall to the ground, still grasping the one reminder that I have of Kasumi as tears flow freely for the first time since my parents were killed. Only one thought is coherent in my mind as I curl into a ball in the grass: Kasumi is gone. And she's never coming back.

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><p><strong>AN:** Dramatic irony!

Whoever is able to guess correctly who the person of the ~Unknown POV~ is will get a cookie, virtual hug, and a shout-out in the next chapter! Enjoy~!


	5. Chapter 4: A Source of Power

**A/N:** Alright! I have the next chapter. But before we get to that, I want to give a special shout-out, hug, and cookie to **They Will all fall Eventually** for correctly answering last chapter's question! Thank you so much for answering. ^_^ (Though I think I should have made the question more difficult...)

Anyways, on with the next chappy! (It's a little sad at the beginning...So don't kill me...)

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: A Source of Power<strong>

**~Deidara POV~**

I grip the bouquet of lilies in my left hand, a bag of dango gripped in my right hand, my head bowed as I stand in front of Kasumi's gravestone. The rain is drenching my clothes, mingling with the tears that I know are on my cheeks. Kneeling down, I place the bouquet next to the headstone, brushing my fingers along the engraving of her name. On top of the headstone is a stone cat with wings. I place the bag of dango next to the cat, running my hand over its ears and delicate wings.

"Hey, Kasumi-chan. I brought you some dango, un. I know you always loved eating them, and I thought that…you could use some right now…since it's been a-awhile since you've had them, un."

Resting my head against the cold stone, I think back to my failed promises to Kasumi…and all of the things that I never had a chance to tell her. Tears fall onto the dirt patch where I had planted violets and daisies six days ago, the day that she… I shake my head, not wanting to think or say _that _word in association with Kasumi. Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I look up to find Tsubasa standing there, holding an umbrella.

Not looking at me, he says, "Come on, Deidara. Let's go before you come down sick with a cold or something…and you know Kasumi wouldn't want that."

Sighing, I stand up, shivering through my soaked clothes. "Don't worry, Kasumi. I'll visit you again, un."

With that, Tsubasa and I walk away from the gravestone on the hill and toward the village. Glancing back, I think that I see Kasumi waving at me from the forest, but I just continue walking numbly to Iwagakure.

**~Tsubasa POV~**

My back rests against the damp tree trunk, attempting to stay dry as the rain pours out of the sky. I stare out over the graveyard, watching as my yellow-haired companion weaves around numerous gravestones until he stops in front of the newest addition. He stands there for at least ten minutes, not moving, as the rain drenches him to the bone, soaking his clothes.

I sigh as I watch Deidara kneel in front of the grave. He's been visiting every day since they put up the gravestone six days ago. So far, Deidara isn't taking Kasumi's death well; he's grieving for her. One might go as far as to say that he's pining the loss of her. She changed him when she came into his life: he used to be this pretentious, cocky, obnoxious, art-obsessed…wait, what was I going on about?

I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. After he found Kasumi, he became a lot more caring and sensitive to the emotions of others. Yeah, he was over-protective of her, but at first I figured that it was because Deidara felt like it was his obligation to protect her since he was the one that saved her from some missing-nin that was going to kill her. He always let Kasumi have her way, though. The sparkling look in his eyes when she would approach him to talk or ask him to take her somewhere, how he would sigh longingly after her whenever she would run off with one of her friends… I suppose it was after watching Kasumi and Deidara interact in this manner that made me realize that Deidara had fallen in love with the little neko kunoichi…as more than just a brother-sister relationship.

Every time after that that I was around the two of them during our team training, or during anytime really, I would always feel a pang in my chest every time that Kasumi would smile or hug Deidara. It wasn't until later that I realized that I was jealous of him. It didn't make sense at first, but then I finally understood: I was falling in love with her, as well. Even though we didn't speak as much as Deidara and her did, there was still something about her that made me want to love her; there was something vulnerable and fragile within her that made me want to protect her even at the cost of my life, even though she was stronger than she looked and could easily defeat both Deidara and I with both hands tied behind her back. I never told Deidara how I felt, even though we were best friends, because he would have flipped out and tried to blow me up with his explosive clay, being the hothead that he is. I had planned on telling Kasumi during the first mission we were supposed to go on together, but then…everything happened.

Sighing, I grip the umbrella in my hand, opening it as I walk over toward Deidara who is still kneeling in front of Kasumi's headstones. Tears prick at the corner of my eyes as I stare at the stone, placing my hand on Deidara's shoulder. I feel him look up at me, as I hold the umbrella over both of our heads.

"Come on, Deidara. Let's go before you come down sick with a cold or something." I pause. "And you know Kasumi wouldn't want that."

Hearing him sigh, I glance out of the corner of my eye as he stands up, shivering. His soaked clothing clings loosely to his thinning frame; he's barely eaten since she died. His blond hair is plastered to his head from the rain, dark circles under his slightly swollen eyes. It's obvious that he's been crying and not getting enough sleep. If he keeps this up for long enough, he'll end up joining her.

"Don't worry, Kasumi. I'll visit you again, un," Deidara murmurs.

As we walk away from the graveyard and head toward the village, I murmur, "You know, I don't know if Sensei told you this yet or not, but we've been assigned a new partner." I glance back at him when he stops, the anger evident in his blue eyes.

"Our _partner_ is Kasumi, un. We don't need anyone else. No one can replace her on our team." The anger disappears from his voice as he stares at the ground. "Why can't anyone understand that, un?"

Sighing, I walk back to him, placing my hand on his shoulder and attempting to comfort him. "I understand. I loved her too, you know," I murmur as two tears slip from the corners of my eyes.

Deidara stares at me, tears welling up in his eyes again. I stiffen in surprise as he sudden envelopes me in a tight hug. "W-Why did it have to be her that died, un? If I had known, I-I wouldn't have left her at the house that day, un. I would have stayed and protected her…to the death, un. Why was it her that had to die?" His shoulders shake as he sobs against my shoulder.

I pat his back awkwardly. "Do you think she would have wanted to see you die? I think, that she would want you to live your life to the fullest, if not for your sake then for her sake. She would want you to live so that she can live through you. As long as you remember her, then her spirit is still alive. It lives within each of us that love and remember her, not for how she is now, but for how she was when she was alive. She wouldn't want us to dwell on the past, but instead, look forward to the future and try to live each day with a smile on our faces. Now, let's go meet our new team member. They won't be able to replace Kasumi, but they're still our partner, and we'll make it through this. Together, as a team."

Deidara pulls away, wiping his eyes before nodding as a small smile spreads across his face. "You're right, un. Let's go." Holding his head high, Deidara strides past me and heads toward the ninja academy, where Sensei and our new team member await.

**~Kabuto POV~**

I sigh as I step into the tent, carrying Kasumi. It's been five days since we reclaimed her from Iwagakure, and she's remained unconscious for nearly all of that time, only awakening for short periods. It's only enough time to administer a small amount of food and water before she blacks out again. It's most likely due to the shock of the explosion that she created to try to escape back at the house.

I lay her down on the blanket carefully, brushing her tail out of the way so it isn't crushed by her body. Observing her face, I notice dark circles around her eyes. Her face is flushed from the fever that she still has, causing her hair to become matted and stick to her forehead. I frown. The fever, caused by the poison that I ordered one of my subordinates to give her a few days before the supposed mission, should have broken by now. If I had the antidote with me, I would give it to her, but considering who she is and the power she possesses, it would probably be safer to not give it to her.

Hesitantly, I stretch my hand out toward her, placing my hand in her hair. I blink, surprised at how soft it is as I begin combing my fingers through it. I feel pressure on my hand as Kasumi presses her head against my hand unconsciously. A small smile graces my lips as her eyes begin to flutter.

Standing up, I stick my head out the flap of the tent, motioning to one of the nearby ninjas. "Takuma, guard this tent, and do not allow anyone to enter without my permission."

"Sir, yes, sir." He salutes, taking position outside of the tent.

I duck back inside the tent to find Kasumi blinking her eyes sleepily, trying to sit up.

"Deidara-niisan, I had this really bad nightmare. Iwagakure was attacked, and then Tsuchikage-sensei left with a group of ANBU, and then some weird spider-lady killed the ANBU that was left with me, and so I ran and tried to hide, but she chased me and was getting ready to kill me, so I threw a fireball jutsu at her and ran and hid in your art room. The scary spider-lady kept following me so I blew up the art room with the detonating clay by using the technique that you taught me, yeah, but I was thrown out of the house by the explosion, and when I went into the woods to try and hide until some weird grey-haired duck face with glasses," I frown, narrowing my eyes at her description of me, "came and kidnapped me, saying that he was going to take me back to Orochimaru-sama." She begins laughing, her eyes still closed. "What a crazy nightmare! Right, Deidara-niisan?"

"Kasumi," I murmur. "Open your eyes."

"Yeah? What is…" Her eyes widen so much that it almost seems like they are going to pop out of her head. Her mouth opens and closes like a fish out-of-water. Kasumi's eyes narrow as her face turns red and her cheeks puff out. Opening her mouth again, this time she lets out a very high-pitched shriek.

"Dammit," I mutter, covering my ears. Using one hand, I press a certain pressure point on her neck, cutting off her scream. "That's better."

Kasumi glares at me, her ears flattened against her head and her tail waving agitatedly as she tries yelling and screaming at me, thrashing and waving her arms and legs around. Only blissful silence meets my ears.

Sighing in relief, I wrap one arm around Kasumi, spinning her around so that her back is pressed against my chest. I place my other hand on her forehead. It feels cool now; her fever's gone. I sigh once again in relief; it seems that the poison is finally out of her system. Pulling her against me, I bury my face in her hair, feeling her body tense.

"You're not going to scream again if I undo the pressure point, are you?" I murmur.

She hesitates before she shrugs her shoulders.

I facepalm, letting go of her and undoing the pressure point.

Taking a deep breath, Kasumi rubs the back of her neck, muttering something under her breath.

"What was that?" I ask.

She jumps a little, her face flushing. "N-Nothing!" she stammers. Sighing, she plays with the hem of her shirt that appears to be too big for her. "So it wasn't a nightmare, after all," she murmurs, a hint of sadness lacing her voice. Kasumi looks up at me, a frown on her face. "How long was I asleep?"

"Five days, more or less. You were drifting in and out, barely coherent."

Her beautiful violet eyes dull, ears drooping, as she looks down at the blanket. "Five days, huh? I saw him go into the house. I bet he thinks I'm dead, since I kind of destroyed the room and that, but…he's still going to come for me, though. He can't go back on the promise that he made. He just can't, can he?" Her bangs hide her eyes, her shoulders shaking. It isn't until wet spots appear on the blanket that I realize that she's crying. "H-How long until we get there?" she whispers.

I stare at her before wrapping my arms around the small girl, placing a light kiss on the top of her head before answering, "We should be there by noon tomorrow."

She nods, before bringing her hand to her eyes, rubbing the tears away. "May I take a bath?" Kasumi asks.

A small cough escapes my throat. "Yes, of course. I'll find fresh clothes for you." I stand up abruptly, frightening Kasumi and causing her to jump back, her eyes going wide as I head toward the flap of the tent. Straightening my glasses, I exit the tent, walking over to one of the female ninjas. "Mayumi, do you have a pair of clothes that the girl can wear?"

She looks up in surprise. "She's awake? So she was the one who screamed earlier."

I nod. "Hai, and she said that she wished to take a bath. So, if y-you could take her to the river nearby…" I silently curse myself for stuttering.

"Of course, Kabuto-sama," Mayumi smirks, her long dark blue hair swaying as she walks over to her bag that is sitting outside of her tent. She takes out an outfit and a towel before returning to where I'm standing. "Well? Take me to her."

I sigh, massaging my temples, turning my back to Mayumi as I lead her back to the tent that Takuma is supposed to be guarding…except he is nowhere to be found. My eye begins to twitch as he rushes out of the tent, waving his arms.

"Now, don't panic! Don't. Panic. But it seems like Kasumi's…well, uh, erm…how do I say this? Well…um…it appears that Kasumi is…um…" He coughs. "Missing." He coughs again.

I stare at Takuma while I register his words. Instantly, my aura darkens as I hold the flap of the tent open, finding that said neko is indeed missing.

"How could this have happened!?" I yell at Takuma, holding and shaking him by the collar of his shirt.

"S-She must have g-gone out the back of the t-tent! She n-never came out the f-front!" he whimpers, as I drag him to the other side of the tent, observing the partial footprints heading toward the forest. Growling, I hit Takuma over the head.

A high-pitched shriek courses through the air before being abruptly cut off. "KASUMI!" I yell, grabbing a few scrolls before Mayumi and I leap through the forest in the direction of the scream.

"It came from near the river!" Mayumi says, adjusting our path. We burst through the trees, standing in a clearing near the river. On one side of the clearing is a group of ten male ninjas, half of which are sporting fresh wounds. Looking at the opposite side of the clearing, the weight in my chest lifts as I see a drenched, and very pissed off, Kasumi clutching several kunai in both hands.

Three things catch my attention the most, though. The first, her eyes have changed from their normal violet: one is a golden brown while the other is a bright blue. The second, two large dragons are standing behind her. One is a mixture of earth tones with large golden eyes, the same color as Kasumi's eye, that match the golden mane and tuft on the end of its tail. The other is a shimmering aqua blue with a silver belly, mane, and tuft at the end of its tail, while its eyes are the same bright blue as Kasumi's other eye. The horns on their head are ivory-colored, and so are the long teeth inside its mouth. The third? I can sense Orochimaru standing in the trees behind the ninjas that are attacking Kasumi.

As two of the unharmed ninja rush toward Kasumi, Mayumi steps forward to try to attack, but I hold my arm out, stopping her. "Kabuto-sama? What are you doing? Kasumi's going to get hurt!"

I glance at Mayumi from the corner of my eye, pushing up my glasses. "Do you notice anything about those ninjas? Their forehead protectors, perhaps? Or perhaps, do you notice the presence of our Lord Orochimaru nearby?"

She stiffens, noticing the Otogakure symbols on the forehead protectors of the attacking ninjas before glancing in the direction of Orochimaru's hiding place.

"If I were to take a guess, I would say that he's testing her abilities," I murmur, watching as Kasumi easily dodges both of the ninjas attacks with lightning speed, jumping upward and throwing several of her kunai at them before the blue and silver dragon sends a jet of water at one of the shinobi, the earth-toned dragon emerging from the ground under the other and sending him flying. Watching her battle, I notice that Kasumi's movements are different than a normal ninja's would be in battle. She moves fluidly, almost as if she were dancing, and…she doesn't use hand seals, except for maybe one before releasing a jutsu.

The remaining three that are unharmed approach Kasumi, carefully dodging the attacks of the dragons. One manages to slip behind her, holding a kunai to her throat. I can see her body freeze as the metal presses against her skin. Nonetheless, a smirk slides onto her face as she begins laughing. "Kasumi" disappears as a hand emerges from the ground to grip the shinobi's leg and bury him in the ground up to his neck, Kasumi now standing on his head and glaring down at him before back-flipping into the air and landing on the head of the blue dragon. Holding her arms up, she takes out two large shuriken and hurl one at each of the two unscathed ninjas before the dragons send a volley of water and earth attacks at each of the seven ninjas in the back. All of them attempt to dodge the attacks but end up being pulled chin deep into the ground by clones of Kasumi.

She leaps off of her dragon and lands gracefully on her feet, completely unscathed and barely breathing heavy at all, even though she must have used an immense amount of chakra considering the number of jutsus she used. My eyes widen with sudden realization. _That_ must be why Orochimaru is so intent on reclaiming Kasumi; it's so he can take her _there_ to train. He's basically trying to make her into an unstoppable weapon. I grit my teeth as Kasumi sends away the summons and turns around, hesitantly waving as she spots Mayumi and I standing at the edge of the clearing. I return the wave with a raise of my hand, walking toward her.

"Did you see me? Did you see me?" Kasumi exclaims with a smile. "Those ninja were too easy to defeat! They barely put up a decent fight at all!" They were only genin. "Sure, that one had been able to get a kunai to my throat, but it was only a decoy. And I can't believe I was able to summon a _water_ dragon!" She shouldn't be able to use such advanced summoning techniques at such a young age. "I've only been able to summon the _earth_ dragon before, but now I can summon two dragons! Isn't that cool?" she exclaims, glomping me before she lets out a yawn. "It's getting kind of dark, isn't it, Kabuto-kun?" She looks up at me with a sweet smile on her face.

"Yeah," I murmur, trying to crush the light blush that threatens to emerge on my cheeks. "Let's start heading back," I say, turning around and walking back toward our campsite. All of a sudden, a heavy weight lands on my upper back as arms wrap around my neck and legs wrap around my waist. "What the hell!?"

"Carry me, Kabuto-kun?" Kasumi murmurs, snuggling closer against my back. "I don't have anyone else anymore." The whisper is so quiet that had I not been as close as I am, I wouldn't have heard it.

"Wait, Kabuto," Mayumi says. She takes the towel and drapes it around Kasumi's head, drying her hair off. "Okay. Let's get going. She can change at the camp."

I nod, leaping through the trees until we reach the campsite. Takuma is frantically pacing next to the tent, a lump on the top of his head. He flinches as I walk by him. Seeing this makes me smirk and let out a low chuckle. Stopping outside of our tent, Kasumi jumps down off of my back, the towel draped across her shoulders.

Mayumi hands her the clean clothes. "Here. Get changed, then come out so that you can eat."

Kasumi nods, taking the clothes. "Arigatou gozaimasu," she murmurs, bowing before ducking into the tent. A couple of minutes later, Kasumi comes out wearing a pair of black leggings under a dark purple mid-thigh kimono-like shirt with spiraling gold and silver vines, tied in the back by a golden ribbon. A gold and dark purple ribbon is also tied in her hair as a headband. She hesitantly sits next to me in front of the fire, fidgeting with the hem of the shirt.

I hand her a few skewers with dango on them. Tears well in her eyes as she nibbles on one of them, staring into the fire. I remain silent, observing her carefully from the corner of my eye.

This child is extremely powerful, but I fear the worst may come if Orochimaru continues on his quest for power by using her as a weapon. She's already proven that she has a strong will and mind of her own, even if she struggles with her emotions. If he forces her to train at that place…well, I can only imagine what would happen.

I turn my head toward Kasumi as she covers her mouth with her hand, yawning. Her eyes drift closed as she begins to lean against my shoulder. Sighing, I catch her before she falls over. Carrying her to our shared tent, I lay her down, covering her with a blanket and stroking her ears.

"Deidara…nii-san…will rescue me…" Kasumi murmurs in her sleep, curling up into a ball. Sighing, I lay down next to her, watching her sleep until I myself fall into a deep slumber.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kasumi remains quiet as I continue to carry her on my back toward Otogakure. Her aura seems to become quieter and gloomier with each step closer that we take toward Orochimaru's village. As our group rounds the next bend, a structure looms just ahead of us. The familiar black-haired, pale-skinned figure of the village's leader leans against the side of the building as he points to several of the shinobi in front of him, ordering them around.

"We're here," I murmur to Kasumi as she reluctantly jumps down off my back, still hiding behind me and clinging to the back of my shirt.

"Kabuto? I don't want to go to him," her voice trembles. "I want to go home."

I look back at her, but before I can respond, someone else does. "You _are_ home now, my precious daughter."

Looking ahead, I see Orochimaru standing in front of us, his arms crossed. Kneeling down, he offers his hand toward Kasumi, but she only shrinks back behind me even further.

"No. It will never be with you! You aren't even my real father! My home is wherever Deidara is! He promised that he would come looking for me if anything happened, no matter what!" Her hands are clenched in anger, ears flattened against her head. Her face is red in anger.

After her outburst, I expect Orochimaru to become enraged and yell at her, but surprisingly…he laughs. It's a bitter laugh, but a laugh all the same.

"You think that that little blond-haired brat is going to come _rescue_ you? Don't be foolish, Kasumi. He's not going to come for you, and do you want to know why?"

Kasumi seems to shrink under his scrutiny, her face paling.

Orochimaru smirks. "It's because you're dead to him."

Kasumi's eyes widen as she shakes her head in disbelief.

Orochimaru holds his hand out to her. "I'll prove it to you."

She hesitates before finally placing her hand in Orochimaru's as they disappear in a puff of smoke.

I let out a long sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"Kabuto-sama?" Mayumi murmurs.

Turning to her, I can see the worry in her eyes. I just shake my head. "It'll all be fine."

About ten minutes later, Kasumi and Orochimaru reappear. Kasumi looks utterly defeated, tear stains on her cheeks, ears and tail drooping. Orochimaru, on the other hand, has a smug smirk plastered on his face.

"I told you that he wouldn't come for you. As your father, I know what's best for you." His voice is sickeningly sweet as he strokes her cheek with his thumb. "I was only trying to protect you from being hurt later on." Standing up, he places his hand on her shoulder, leading her toward the building. "Oh, Kabuto-san?" he asks, turning his head toward me.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Take care to see that provisions are packed and ready by tomorrow morning for my daughter, myself, and yourself."

I pale as he mentions that I shall be accompanying them. "And where shall we be going, my lord?"

Orochimaru chuckles darkly as he leads Kasumi into the building. "To a great source of power in order for Kasumi to train," he says, confirming my suspicions on the destination.

Kasumi looks back at me, her eyes dulling as she's dragged away.

Mayumi puts her hand on my shoulder. "What happens now?"

"Now," I sigh, "I have to go pack." I have a feeling that everything is going to be going downhill fast after this.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** HAHA! Cliffhanger!

New question: "What is the name of the place that Orochimaru, Kasumi, and Kabuto will be going to?"

I'll let you all guess that. ;)

Please review/comment/favorite/follow.


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